DESIGNED to further expand how sports content is delivered in the country, TV5 Network, Inc. and ESPN yesterday announced their long-term collaboration for the new brand ESPN 5.
Under the tie-up of the two organizations, which will see TV5’s “Sports 5” rebranded as “ESPN 5,” they will team up to provide extensive coverage of sporting events both here and abroad .
It will also give TV5 access to more than 2,500 hours of additional programming per year from ESPN’s roster of sports rights, original programming and studio programs.
The companies, too, will also join forces to produce a daily Philippine edition of the iconic SportsCenter to air on TV5.
In a press conference held after the formal announcement at the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines’s DigiCon 2017 at the Philippine International Convention Center, TV5 President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent “Chot” Reyes, along with officials of ESPN, shared some of their plans for ESPN 5.
“With this partnership with hope to enhance our position as the top sports authority in the country and continue to provide great content,” said Mr. Reyes in his message at the press conference at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.
“It’s a combination of television content. We will have free TV content on TV5. It is also going to be a digital partnership with ESPN5.com and we are looking to make it the go-to sports site in the country,” he added.
The TV5 head went on to say that the decision to partner with a global brand like ESPN is a “positioning move” for TV5.
“It’s a big positioning move for TV5. We are positioning ourselves really as a sports and news network. TV5 is still there but under it we will have ESPN 5, News5, the Digital5 and all our verticals. We are very excited. I think the network is positioning itself very clearly in the eyes of the consumers, our partners and the advertisers. And now they know what TV5 stands for,” Mr. Reyes said.
Included in the portfolio of programs under ESPN 5 are the Philippine Basketball Association, FIBA competitions, Gilas games, Ultimate Fighting Championship and the Philippine SuperLiga, as well as sports coverage and content from ESPN which include more than 70 National Football League games per season.
Mr. Reyes said mornings will be dedicated for international sporting events while prime-time slots will have the traditional local sports content. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
